Using a dimensional reduction formula for the lattice fermion determinant we study canonical determinants on quenched SU(3) gauge configurations. The canonical determinants decribe a fixed quark number and we analyze their properties below and above
the transition temperature. We find that above $T_c$ the signatures of center symmetry breaking are very strongly manifest in the distribution of the canonical determinants in the complex plane, and we discuss possible physical implications of this finding. We furthermore analyze the relative weight of the different quark sectors below and above the transition temperature.
We study the expectation value of the phase of the fermion determinant for Wilson lattice fermions with chemical potential. We use quenched SU(3) ensembles and implement a recently proposed exact dimensional reduction of the fermion determinant. Ense
mbles at several temperatures below and above the phase transition are studied and we analyze the role of the quark mass, the temperature, the volume and the topological sectors. We compare our numerical results to predictions from chiral perturbation theory.
